In the news articles

Mayor's Routemaster record - £7.8m for just five buses

Talking to the Evening Standard about the Mayor's hurry to get new Routemaster buses on the road in time for next year's mayoral election, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

Boris Johnson was elected back in 2008 on a clear pledge to Londoners that he would introduce a brand new Routemaster with conductors.

His actual record sees bus fares hiked up by 55 per cent, more overcrowding and £7.8 million spent on just five Routemaster buses.

You can read the full article here.

Mayor's roadworks "action" is an election gimmick

Talking to the Evening Standard about the Mayor's recently announced policy to "name and shame" firms responsible for disruptive or neglected roadworks, Caroline Pidgeon said:

After three and a half years in City Hall the Mayor should have slashed roadworks by now. Instead we have just another set of gimmicks as we approach next year's elections. It is action, not words that matter when it comes to tackling London's chronic congestion.

It cannot be right that 999 calls are unanswered

Speaking to the Evening Standard after the Metropolitan Police released figures showing that 20% of 999 callers gave up waiting during the rioting on 8th August, Caroline Pidgeon said:

Although the events of August 8 were exceptional it cannot be right that almost one in five people couldn't get through via the 999 emergency number and simply gave up trying to contact the police.

Tube delays cost passengers over 6 million hours last year

Launching the London Assembly Transport Committee's report into the performance of the Tube - which highlighted a 20% increase in delays over the last year - Caroline Pidgeon commented:

Passengers spent an extra six-and-a-half million hours on the Tube in 2010/11 because of the increased number of delays, this is clearly unacceptable and a drag on London’s economy.

We know delays on the Underground have fallen overall since 2003, but TfL must ensure that last year’s 20 per cent dip in performance is a blip - not a disturbing sign of things to come.

There is also no room for complacency when it comes to delivering value for money on Tube maintenance and upgrades. London is a world class city and it has a right to expect a standard of efficiency from TfL that compares favourably to other metro systems across the globe.

Four years of fare misery under Boris Johnson

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on Boris Johnson’s fare proposals for 2012, which he confirmed today will be set at RPI plus 2 per cent, said:

“This is the fourth year of fare misery that Londoners will face under Boris Johnson.

“He has already hit Londoners hard by hiking up bus fares from 90 pence to £1.30 for a single fare since he arrived at City Hall. Today’s further rise will really hit hard many people, especially those on low incomes.

“Boris Johnson has failed to tackle effective action to tackle fare evasion or cut waste which is widespread throughout TfL. If the Mayor got on top of these issues there would be no need for such severe fare rises, especially for low income Londoners.

Have Your Say on Policing in London

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Please take part in a short questionnaire to tell them your views. To complete a questionnaire click here or call 020 7202 0063, leave your name and address and they will send you a paper copy.

If you require a telephone questionnaire please call 020 7202 0063, leave your name and telephone number and somebody will call you back.

The Mayor doesn't take river transport seriously

Commenting on the plan for a three month closure of Greenland Pier in Rotherhithe - used by many commuters for the Thames Clippers ferry service, Caroline Pidgeon said:

People always overlook the river. It's such an important means of travel for so many people and this pier closing for three months is really bad news.

It shows the Mayor doesn't take river transport as seriously as others do.

How do the passengers get around while these works are on? They wouldn't close a Tube or rail station without making adequate provisions.

Quiet carriages should be seriously looked at

Talking to the Evening Standard about calls for TfL to introduce "quiet carriages" on Tube and Overground services, like those that exist on National Rail, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

We cannot underestimate the impact noise has on Londoners. Creating quiet carriages should be seriously looked at.

There are many practical reasons why it might be difficult to introduce, but such arguments were once used to dismiss people wishing to avoid tobacco smoke on the Tube.

Far more still needs to be done on Oyster overcharging

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on Transport for London’s new facility for Oyster pay as you go customers who occasionally forget to touch out at the end of their Tube, DLR Overground or National Rail journeys, said:

"After many months of campaigning to highlight the scandal of Oyster overcharging it is good news that they are at last beginning to accept that a problem even exists.

“It is however regrettable that the new system only addresses just one form of Oyster overcharging caused by people who occasionally forget to touch out.

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